Place    From 1696  To 1969

Surrey Docks

Categories: Commerce, Transport

The south bank of the Thames used to be in Surrey, now in Southwark. The first dock created here in 1696 was initially named Howland Great Wet Dock and then Greenland Dock due to the whaling ships that used it. By the mid 1800s the Commercial Dock Company had built many other docks on the east side of the Rotherhithe peninsula and the Surrey Dock Company had done the same on the west side. In 1865 the two companies merged to form the Surrey Commercial Docks Company. The bodies of water that we can see named on the 1889 insurance map are: Globe Pond, Lavender Pond, Acorn Pond, Lady Dock, Norway Dock, Greenland Dock, South Dock, Stave Dock, Russia Dock, Island Dock, Basin, Albion Dock, Canada Dock, Canada Pond, Quebec Pond, Centre Pond, Commercial Basin, Grand Surrey Canal.

1895-1904 Greenland Dock was greatly enlarged by John Wolfe-Barry, approximately doubling in length and depth.

The docks were badly damaged by bombing in WW2, but it was the containerisation of international freight transport that brought the end of these docks - they were too small for the size of those ships.

Largely drained and filled in, the area was redeveloped during the 1980s and 90s and renamed Surrey Quays.

2025: A Short History of the Surrey Commercial Docks, 1999, by Stuart Rankin looks to be a good source.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Surrey Docks

Commemorated ati

Hydraulic lock gate engine

Hydraulic Lock Gate Engine This machinery was installed in 1902, at the time ...

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Hydraulic sluice

Hydraulic Sluice The sluice gate inside this pit was raised and lowered using...

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Lock Keepers Office

Lock Keepers Office The crews of men who worked ships in and out of Greenland...

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Norway cut swing bridge

Norway cut swing bridge This footbridge, with its granite paving, formerly st...

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Surrey Commercial Docks - relief model

{Around the rim:} London Docklands 1989 Surrey Commercial Docks 1896 Designe...

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Other Subjects

Anglo-Texan Society

Anglo-Texan Society

Founded in London by author Graham Greene, its founding president.  The Handbook of Texas gives a good history of the Society.  Our thanks to Lori Grossman for providing information.

Group, Commerce, Community / Clubs, USA

1 memorial
Robert Milligan

Robert Milligan

Merchant. Born in Dumfries. He grew up on his family's sugar plantation in Jamaica, and moved to London in 1779. He headed a group of powerful businessmen, who planned and built the West India Dock...

Person, Commerce, Race Issues, Caribbean Islands, Scotland

2 memorials
Lord Harris

Lord Harris

Businessman. Born Philip Charles Harris. Former chairman of Carpetright plc, he has over 50 years’ experience in carpet retailing. He is the sponsor of the Harris Federation of primary and secondar...

Person, Commerce, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Charles Dello Strologo

Charles Dello Strologo

Strologo gave about 80 bus shelters to Surrey. Researching Strologo we found that someone was ahead of us: John Slatford, who has very kindly allowed us to re-present his findings here: "Charles D...

Person, Benefactor, Commerce, Egypt, Italy

1 memorial
Acorn Restorations

Acorn Restorations

Metalwork restorers.

Group, Commerce

1 memorial